Teachers who did/did not go back to work after maternity

[Pastaalldaylong]

I've been teaching over 12 years and am nearing going back to work time after having my first child. I'm in a real dilemma about what to do.
I feel I've lost my love of teaching with the endless monitoring, checking up on, parents, data etc.
On one hand I see this as my chance to stay at home with baby a bit longer and then try something new...no idea what though...?

Or for ease just go back part time (if they allow it) and just continue in a job that I don't love but don't hate and it's all I know.

Anyone not go back but do something different or stay at home and regret it/bedt decision they made?

I went back for 4 terms. I ended up off with stress, it really impacted on my mental health. I’m now a staff at home Mum.

You can always go back for a while and then change or become a SAHM.

Hello. I went back part time and it was much better than being there 5 days a week, so try not to rule it out yet. ( There are downsides too though.) Good luck in whatever you do decide to do!
Not going back wasn’t an option for me as I didn’t want to pay back my maternity pay.

I think your plan to leave and do ‘something else’ in the future is way too vague.

What does your husband / partner think?

I went from full time HOD to 3 says a week just a teacher. I love it. I'm very happy with the balance I have

@sittingbythepond
My husband says he is happy for me to stay at home with the baby particularly as he works shift work/hours all over the place. But equally would support me going back to work part time. I know of friends who are SAHM and love it but also those who needed time away. If I enjoyed my job more I would go back but then I think maybe this is the push i need to get out.

If you can afford not to then I'd leave it and enjoy time with your DC. It's very hard to balance everything and I often feel that I'm letting either my class or my own DC down. You could always do supply to keep your hand in.

I didn’t go back... we had twins so financially it wasn’t going to work, plus I after 10 years felt ready to move on. I had been doing peripatetic teaching on the side so just do that now and LOVE it plusget plenty of time with my children

I had one year maternity leave which was lovely, then went back 2 days per week for a couple of years. Moved house, left job, had another baby, never went back due to family circumstances. Now divorcing and wish I'd kept my hand in over the last 15 years as thinking of going back now and missed out on pension etc etc

I had sixteen weeks maternity leave then had to go back full time for two terms and have been doing 3 days for the past two school years. I really like working and love my job. It’s the perfect balance.

I was a head of faculty and didn't return after my 1st child 3 years ago. Like you I did not hate teaching but I was certainly out of love with it due to all the stress and monitoring etc.

I'm a happy SAHM to 2 now. I knew I wouldn't manage the HOF role with a baby as I had really bad PND and I was a bit of a perfectionist at work.

I'm not thinking of returning for a few more years and even then I'm hoping part time teaching (no tlr role).

Maybe chat to your school and see if they will let you go part time? I've often thought about doing 'something else' like you say but starting a new career often means a big pay cut, and whilst the working hours involved in teaching are crazy, I think the childcare over the 13 weeks of holiday is really challenging for so many working parents who aren't in schools.

I did 15 yearsp/t until my youngest went to high school. It made it doable, helped keep me in the loop with their school and kept me in employment. I couldn't aford to stop completely anyway, but nor would i be prepared to jump through the hoops needed these days to land a job.

I didnt go back a d had a other baby, was a sham and loved it and dont for 1 minute regret it. My youngest is now 3 and in nursery. Starts school this year so I've gone back 4 days( would have liked 3 but ....😏 at least money is good after 1 wage for years!) Glad to be back at work now as once kids in nursery my world would have shrank rapidly to 'tidy the house' as my sole goal! I dont know what people with kids on school/nursery do withvtheyre life!

Personally I wouldn't miss out on the year few years, they're tough but amazing!